Behind Labour’s New Town Spin: Milton Keynes Faces Reckless Expansion
Labour is celebrating the New Town Taskforce report as a “massive opportunity” for Milton Keynes. But the Conservative group remain sceptical and believes the reality to be very different.
The report names MK as a “Renewed Town,” promising 40,000 new homes, a so-called “metro,” and giving powerful new bodies the authority to seize land and override local planning. On paper, it talks about “transformative development” and “community-informed growth,” but behind the slogans lies a loss of accountability, a lack of consultation, and a plan that risks overwhelming the city.
The report talks about 40,000 homes in Milton Keynes, but it isn’t clear whether the 40,000 homes is on top of the 39,500 already included in the council’s plans. No specifics have been given on where these homes would go, or how they would fit with the city’s existing housing targets.
The report recommends delivery through Development Corporations. These are unelected organisations with sweeping powers — they would take on all the planning powers of the local authority, effectively becoming the planning authority for their area. That means they can buy land through compulsory purchase orders at agricultural prices, set master plans, decide design codes, and determine planning applications entirely on their own. In short, residents lose their say, and councillors, as the elected representatives for residents, lose their say, and decisions will be made by the Labour government or an unelected body appointed by the Labour government. Who sits on these corporations? Who are they accountable to? Nobody knows. It’s a huge step away from local democracy.
The report also talks about “community engagement.” But engagement is not consultation. It means residents will be shown glossy plans, not asked for their views. In reality, people will have little or no chance to shape what happens in their communities.
And then there is the promise of a new “Mass Rapid Transit system.” For years, this has been floated as the answer to transport in MK. Now it’s being sold as a “metro”. Milton Keynes was designed around the car. A rebranded bus scheme as a new metro is no replacement for serious investment in roads and transport links.
Cllr Shazna Muzammil-Cook, Leader of the Conservative Group, said:
“Of course, we need more homes, and I am not a NIMBY. But I am worried that we are losing everything that makes Milton Keynes unique and running the risk of just becoming another crowded city like Manchester. It’s great that investment could come to MK – but why don’t we fix the basics first? Our roads are collapsing, flooding gets worse every year, schools and GPs are already overstretched, and we still only have one hospital. Building at this scale without fixing what’s broken first is reckless.”
She added that land is being swallowed up to deliver these new towns. The report sets out that a minimum of 40% of housing should be affordable. And out of that 40%, 20% is for social rent. In reality, that means the figure of actual affordable homes would be even smaller.
Cllr Muzammil-Cook also raised concerns about the impact on farming and food security. “Farms are being forced to sell and move on. Why are we concreting over land that we need for food, just to chase Labour’s unrealistic housing targets?” she said.
She warned that local democracy itself is under threat. Unelected development corporations would decide what’s built, where it’s built, and how it looks. Residents would lose their say, and risk being cut out completely. “Why are we handing MK on a platter to the government so they can impose their plans just to tick a manifesto box? Residents need to have their voice heard when it comes to shaping what happens to our city — because it’s their future, their community, and their home.”
Local Conservatives believe Milton Keynes deserves growth that works for its people — not top-down diktats from government. Residents must be properly consulted, infrastructure must be fixed before expansion, and local farmland and green space must be protected. Anything less will destroy the very character that makes Milton Keynes unique.
Cllr Muzammil-Cook concluded: “MK is different by design. That’s what makes us special. And that needs to be protected.”
